Or was it the fruit they ate? Extremely well preserved natural mummies were unearthed in Colombia. Were they created by specific high altitude climatic conditions? San Bernardo’s mausoleum may be found in the Colombian province of Cundinamarca, high in the Andes and 40 miles (64.37 km) southwest of Bogota. The region, which is known for its high fertility agricultural soil and gives growers a variety of climates, is now known for its peas and blackberries as its main exports.
Debunking the Mystery of the Natural Fruit Mummies
We are well aware that a mummy is a deceased person or animal with preserved soft tissues, and that mummies are frequently produced chemically during funeral rites. However, when a dead person is exposed to extremely low humidity, frigid temperatures, and thin, high-altitude air, mummies can form. The specific reason the San Bernardo collection is so well-preserved “is a mystery,” according to a Daily Mail report.
The discrepancy between what villagers believe happened and what scientists claim happened is the riddle. The former point to the native diet that featured a lot of guatila, a nutritious spiky green fruit, while the latter contend that the cold environment somehow altered the chemical composition of the land and caused the soils or air to embalm the corpses. However, as romantic as the fruit preservation idea may sound, when one gently inquires with the villagers as to how the fruit was able to preserve the mummy’s clothing so effectively, there is a lot of quiet.
The Mirror Mummies of San Bernardo
This collection of well preserved bodies, assumed to have been discovered in the 1950s during the relocation of a local cemetery following a catastrophic flood, was first made available to the public in 1994. This Colombian mausoleum at a high altitude is becoming a very well-liked tourist destination. The mummies’ perfectly preserved features, facial hair, and fingernails are incredibly moving, and they can be seen wearing the same garments they were wearing when they passed away. Perhaps they provide a clear glimpse into the mirror of what each of us is destined to become.
The San Bernardo bodies come with wooden plaques revealing ghostly personal details, unlike many mummies that remain anonymous after being discovered amidst the debris left behind by treasure hunters. “Margaria,” a housewife, “always gave coffee and corn cakes to everyone.” Due to their genetic history, the remains draw in living relatives. Ever Pabon, for instance, met his mummified father in 2015 who was still donning his “gray-checkered suit,” according to the Wall Street Journal. On the home screen of his smartphone, he even has a picture of his mummified mom.
Without Science, Everything Gets Fruity
The Daily Mail believes that “there’s something about the environment around the settlement that protects bodies from rotting,” but the scientific details are still unclear. Scientists compare this region of Colombia’s environment to that of Guanajuato, Mexico, where subsurface gases influence the chemical composition of the surface soil, preventing the dead from decomposing at a predictable rate.
Testing the mummies would be necessary to ascertain the scientific roots of the strange but natural mummification process in San Bernardo. And the mystery will keep growing and changing because family won’t give their consent. Locals are adamant that because the area produces a lot of guatila fruit, which is typically eaten in salads, they not only benefit from exceptional health benefits while they are alive but also naturally mummify themselves when they pass away.
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